PASSIONATE ABOUT SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Tag: Suspense (Page 5 of 12)

Book Review: Called To Protect

Called To Protect – Lynette Eason – Blue Justice #2 – Revell – Published 31 July 2018

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Synopsis

For the past year, Chloe St. John has been working as a K-9 cop with her German shepherd partner, Hank. After being dumped by her fiance for another woman, Chloe has decided that Hank is just about the only male she likes. She’s over the whole romance thing and focuses her attention on doing her job. Because a serious case of human trafficking with connections to her missing cousin just landed in her lap.

When US Marshall Blake MacCallum’s daughter goes missing, he’s ordered to kill the judge he’s protecting and tell no one about his daughter’s disappearance or she will die. Blake races against the clock to rescue his daughter while Chloe and Hank are asked to be a part of the task force assembled to bring down the traffickers. Chloe finds herself attracted to the silent, suffering man, but thanks to her previous bad judgment, she wonders if she can trust him. And can Blake trust himself around this firecracker of a woman?

My thoughts

Called To Protect gripped me from the very first page. This exhilarating novel is packed with suspense and action, combined with the camaraderie of friendship, family, and the bonds forged in the midst of terrifying chaos. Cases that threaten the investigators’ family increase the stakes as clues must be unravelled and leads followed, creating a fantastic story.

Lynette Easton’s first book in the Blue Justice series was outstanding and this second book, Called To Protect follows suit. It has everything you could want in a gripping suspense novel, as well as touches of romance. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on family the Blue Justice books showcase. Each book follows a member of the St. John family, a large, loud and loving group of crime fighters – from FBI agents to detectives and police officers.

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Book Review: Dead Drift

Dead Drift – Dani Pettrey – Chesapeake Valor #4 – Bethany House Publishers – Published 3 July 2018

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Synopsis

Private Investigator Kate Maxwell never stopped loving Luke Gallagher after he disappeared. Now he’s back, and together they must unravel a twisting thread of secrets, lies, and betrayal while on the brink of a biological disaster that will shake America to its core. Will they and their love survive, or will Luke and Kate become the terrorist’s next target?

My thoughts

Dead Drift is the thrilling fourth (and sadly last) book in the Chesapeake Valor series by Dani Pettrey. Dead Drift concludes the series in stunning style, with touching romance, non-stop action and life and death tension that will keep you guessing and hanging on the edge of your seat.

Kate has always believed -hoped- that the love of her life, Luke Gallagher was alive and out there somewhere. Meanwhile, Luke has spent the last seven years with one mission – bring a major criminal and terrorist to justice and finally return home to Kate. Now, Kate knows Luke is alive, but his being back in her life and the lives of their friends threatens them all. Luke and Kate must team up as the terrorist threat to US soil increases and overlaps with FBI Agent Declan Grey’s case. As danger looms ever closer, Luke, Kate and the whole gang will have to push harder than ever before to find answers and justice.

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Book Review: The Accidental Guardian

The Accidental Guardian – Mary Connealy – Bethany House Publishers – Published 3 April 2018

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Synopsis

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes an attack by the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he’s finally carved out a home and started a herd–while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail. He’d hoped the days of driving off dangerous men were over, but the latest attack shows otherwise.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace becomes an accidental guardian when he offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until they can safely continue their journey. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling–yet enticing.

Trace and Deborah find themselves drawing ever closer as they work together to bring justice to the trail and help the group survive the winter–but every day closer to spring means a day closer to leaving the mountains forever.

My thoughts

I have previously steered away from Mary Connealy’s titles after starting a few titles and finding that her writing style wasn’t for me. I know that there are many, many readers who would disagree with my opinion. However, The Accidental Guardian sounded fantastic and I thought it was high time that I gave Mary Connealy’s writing another go. I’m glad I did. I really enjoy the first half of The Accidental Guardian. I enjoyed the setting and the story of lost souls facing much hardship and then finding a family together.

Deb and Gwen Harkness are traveling west in a wagon train. When their group is attacked at night, Deb, Gwen and the children they are minding are lucky to escape with their lives, while everyone else is murdered and the wagons destroyed. Alone in the middle of nowhere with winter settling in, Deb and Gwen are shocked when they are discovered and rescued by Trace Riley. Trace knows the devastation of being the sole survivor of just such an attack. He takes the Harkness women and the children in their care to his ranch, determined to track down the killers and bring them to justice.

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Book Review: Break Us

Break Us – Jennifer Brown – Nikki Kill #3 – Katherine Tegen Books – Published 13 February 2018

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Synopsis

Nikki Kill doesn’t see the world in black and white. Her synesthesia shades everything in view, transforming numbers, words, and emotions into colourful clues. Which means she’s a dangerous commodity to anyone with something to hide.

Nikki has already taken on the Hollises—one of L.A.’s most powerful families—for murdering her half sister, Peyton. However, Nikki’s next steps are clouded by the grey of uncertainty. Before she knows it, Nikki is on the trail of a cold case that couldn’t be any more personal—the death of her mother.

But when the web of lies and secrets she uncovers leads back to the people who have tried to silence her, Nikki must pursue the sunbeam gold of justice, or everything—including her life—will be lost.

My thoughts

Break Us is the third and final book in the amazing Nikki Kill series. Mystery, suspense and just a touch of romance (finally!!) culminate in a brilliant conclusion.

This review may contain spoilers for the first and second book in the Nikki Kill series. If you are looking for mature YA mystery, with a daring protagonist and thrilling twists and turns, check out Shade Me.

Nikki has spent the last few months looking for answers. The world might have moved on, but Nikki knows a murderer is still on the loose. Meanwhile, Detective Chris Martinez is slowly recovering on an attack on his life. With Chris’ memories scattered, it is up to Nikki to encourage Chris to continue searching for answers, before they are both targeted again.

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Book Review: The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan

The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan – Gia Cribbs – Harlequin Teen – Published 29 May 2018

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Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Sloane Sullivan has survived witness protection by learning three important lessons: blend in, don’t let anyone get too close, and follow the rules.

After nearly eight years and countless identities, blending in is easy. Now that someone has confessed to the murder she witnessed, Sloane’s been given her final identity. All she has to do is turn eighteen and coast through the last two months of her senior year without any complications, and she’ll be officially released from WITSEC. Piece of cake.

Then on her first day she runs into Jason Thomas—literally the boy next door from her childhood. She knows she shouldn’t have contact with him, but she doesn’t expect the feelings that come with seeing Jason again. Feelings of finally belonging somewhere, of remembering who she really is, and of suspicion that there’s more to the crime she witnessed than she ever knew.

Sloane knows the rule for this situation, but telling the Marshals about Jason would mean getting whisked away to yet another new identity, leaving both Jason and the future she’s painstakingly planned behind. If she can keep Jason a secret, Sloane has a chance to take back her life in a way that she never imagined possible. But doing so puts both their lives at risk: the closer Sloane gets to Jason, the more she remembers and the clearer it becomes that someone is still after her.

My thoughts

The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a mystery thriller with some amazing twists that I never saw coming and it touches upon some pretty dark crimes, but on the whole it is quite a lighthearted book, focusing on interpersonal relationships, high-school drama, and romance. The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is an easy book to read and enjoy, with a likeable main protagonist and some intense relationships.

Sloane knows how to stay hidden in plain sight. This move and name change will be her nineteenth in eight years, ever since she witnessed a horrible crime and was forced to enter witness protection. Now Sloane is restarting her final year of high school, counting down the weeks until she will be finally free, but is thrown when one of the first people she meets is her childhood best friend, Jason Thomas. Sloane is convinced she can maintain her new identity to prevent having to move again, but staying means putting Jason in danger and risking her own future.

The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan starts with a bang and a seriously awesome prologue. Immediately gripping and then downright clever, I was hooked right from the very first page and couldn’t wait to jump into the rest of the story. The details of Sloane’s life emerge slowly, woven through the story of Sloane starting yet another high school and through flashback snippets from the past eight years.

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Book Review: Whisper

Whisper – Lynette Noni – Kids Can Press – Published 1 May 2018

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Synopsis

For two years, six months, fourteen days, eleven hours and sixteen minutes, Subject Six-Eight-Four — ‘Jane Doe’ — has been locked away and experimented on, without uttering a single word.

As Jane’s resolve begins to crack under the influence of her new — and unexpectedly kind — evaluator, she uncovers the truth about Lengard’s mysterious ‘program’, discovering that her own secret is at the heart of a sinister plot … and one wrong move, one wrong word, could change the world.

My thoughts

Whisper by Lynette Noni is an awesome book. It so very easy to fall into and has so many tantalising clues, mysteries, and big reveals that it was impossible to stop reading. Supernatural sci-fi at its intriguing best.

For the past two years and six months, Jane Doe has been kept captive in a secret lab, continually tested and experimented on. She doesn’t know why she’s there and they don’t know her story or name, because for two years and six months Jane Doe hasn’t uttered a single word. But a new, and surprisingly kind, evaluator starts to break down Jane’s protective walls – and that could spell disaster for Jane and for the world.

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Book Review: Storm Front

Storm Front – Susan May Warren – Montana Rescue #5 – Revell – Published 1 May 2018

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Synopsis

A tornado has destroyed a small Minnesota community and among the missing are not only a group of students but PEAK Rescue team leader Chet King. Ty Remington will stop at nothing to rescue his mentor, not even when the girl he loved–and lost–walks back into his life. But Brette needs his help more than he knows, despite her stubborn determination to push him away. And when he gets a second chance, loving her just might cost him more than he can imagine.

A blogger for Vortex Storm Chasers, Brette Arnold didn’t expect her adventures to land her in the same place as Ty, the guy who she walked–no, ran–from over a year ago. She had her reasons–good ones. The kind that tell her that falling for him again would only lead to heartache. But Ty isn’t the kind of man to give up–not on the missing students, or on her.

My thoughts

Five stars are not enough to convey the true awesomeness of Storm Front. What is it about this Montana Rescue series? It just gets better and better and better with each book – and they were pretty darn good to start off with.

Brette Arnold is tired of facing the challenges constantly thrown her way – the death of first her father then her mother, cancer, assault and now mounting debt – she’s tired of believing in hope when everything seems hopeless. It’s why she ran from the protection of Ty Remington’s embrace and the support he offered. But her current job as a photographer in a storm chasing team brings her face-to-face with Ty as a massive storm cell brings destruction and endangers the life of PEAK team leader, Chet King.

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New Book Releases April 2018

New Book Releases for April 2018

Looking for some new books to add to your to-read list? April has a few choice options. These are the books that have made it onto my list for April 2018. Click on covers for more information and reviews.

 

Young Adult Fiction

Starry Eyes – Jenn Bennett – Simon Pulse – Published 3 April 2018

Shocked when she discovers a family secret, Zorie is happy to escape by accepting an invitation to go glamping with some of her classmates. But she is not so happy to discover that Lennon – once her best friend turned something more and now her biggest enemy – has also been invited. When she and Lennon are separated from the others, the two of them must trek their way through the wilderness together.

Young adult fiction: Contemporary, Adventure.


Autonomous – Andy Marino – Disney-Hyperion – Published 3 April 2018

When William wins a state-of-the-art car in a competition, he plans to take his three best friends on an epic road trip. But while discovering the extent of the car’s abilities, from being completely self driving to apparent mind reading, everything William had planed for the road trip begins to fall apart. Instead of making fantastic memories with his friends, their relationships are tested and things get far more dangerous then they could have imagined.

Young adult fiction – Science-fiction.

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Book Review: Not If I Save You First

Not If I Save You First – Ally Carter – Scholastic Press – Published 27 March 2018

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Synopsis

Maddie thought she and Logan would be friends forever. But when your dad is a Secret Service agent and your best friend is the president’s son, sometimes life has other plans. Before she knows it, Maddie’s dad is dragging her to a cabin in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.

No phone.
No Internet.
And not a single word from Logan.

Maddie tells herself it’s okay. After all, she’s the most popular girl for twenty miles in any direction. (She’s also the only girl for twenty miles in any direction.) She has wood to cut and weapons to bedazzle. Her life is full.
Until Logan shows up six years later . . .
And Maddie wants to kill him.

But before that can happen, an assailant appears out of nowhere, knocking Maddie off a cliff and dragging Logan to some unknown fate. Maddie knows she could turn back- and get help. But the weather is turning and the terrain will only get more treacherous, the animals more deadly.

Maddie still really wants to kill Logan.
But she has to save him first.

My thoughts

With Not If I Save You First, Ally Carter delivers a novel that is full of humour, survivalist adventure, a touch of drama, and a few bedazzled hatchets. Not If I Save You First is a stand-alone, and perfect for readers who enjoy female protagonists who are more than capable of looking after themselves as they battle the dangers of remote Alaska and the evil of kidnappers.

Maddie doesn’t know why her father dragged her to the wilds of Alaska six years ago. She doesn’t know why her best-friend (at least he was six years ago, now she isn’t talking to him) Logan never, ever responded to her letters. And she doesn’t know why, when Logan suddenly appears at her home in Alaska and then manages to get himself kidnaped, she would bother to go and rescue him. But that’s what Maddie plans to do: rescue Logan, return to safety, survive.

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Book Review: If I Live

If I Live – Terri Blackstock – If I Run #3 – Zondervan – Published 6 March 2018

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Synopsis

Casey is hiding again—in Memphis this time—but it’s different now. She knows without a doubt that Dylan believes her and is doing all he can to help bring Brent’s killer to justice. He’s become an unexpected friend . . . and even, maybe, something more. Hope makes everything more bearable.

Casey makes a deal with the DA to turn over all the evidence she and Dylan have gathered against Keegan and Rollins—only to discover that the DA is in league with them too. After a desperate escape, who can they possibly turn to now?

My thoughts

And so concludes the If I Run series. If I Live finishes the series with a whole lot of tension, lots of near-death moments, and some long-awaited romance. The action and suspense in If I Live picks up right where book two left off, and, finally, Casey Cox has a chance for justice – if she can stay alive long enough.

If I Live is the third and final book in the If I Run series. I recommend that this series be read in chronological order to fully understand the crimes detailed within and the overall plot line. Since the first book, Casey Cox has been on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of the criminals who have framed her for the death of her best friend. Now, Casey has Private Investigator Dylan Roberts on her side. It is just a matter of staying alive long enough to bring the evidence to light.

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